Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24

| career which makes an important Chapter in the
| history OF the city, he had an ample fortune
| The citizens who hau succeeded at the polls in
| promoting proposed reforms at once formed COM
| mittees TO prepare plan OF organization which
| would provide government strong enough TO
| regenerate the capital and in their efforts the
| friends OF progress received hearty support from
| senator Patterson, OF New Hampshire chairman
| OF the Senate District committee and Representa-.
tive COOK, OF Illinois, chairman OF the House Dis
.rict conmlttee, both OF whom heartily favored
| the movement The result OF the efforts OF the
| reformers was the establishment by act OF Con-
greos passed In February, 1871, Of what Is known
| THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT
1t provided for The District government similar
TO That OF United States Territories with such adj
| ditionS and notifications as were suggested by
the heeuS OF municipality. 1t provided for a
governor, Board or Public Works and Board OF
HeaiIL, 10 De appointed federal officers; dele
gaze In Congress, and legislature. consisting OF a
mouse OF delegates and council the former and
one-haif the latter to be elected by the voters OF
tht District President Grant approved the bill
FEBRUARY 2l- 1871, and appointed Henry d. Cooke
governor, and Ar shepherd. James A. Magruder,
;. r. Brown and A. b. Mulett as members OF the
Board OF Public Works. The Board of Public
Works was organized as follows: H. d. Cooke.
| president eX-offcio; a. r. shepherd. vice-preS1-
| aent, and James A. Magruder, treasurer. The
Board VI Health was conf posed OF DR.. ID. W. Bliss,
D i l. ; VERDI, j. W. Langston and II. A; Willard
Nhen the election was held in November, 1871,
| Gen. y. +. Chapman was elected Delegate TO CON-
greaS py majority OF 1000 votes over r. I.
The story OF Shepherds life during the next
three or four years is history OF the Territorial
form OF government and the Board OF Public
| ""rhS- IL was under his direction that the grand
scheme OF improvements which made of a stray
Cling town, with filthy, lll-conditioned streets,
ness, was undertaken. such great change of
course could not take place without opposition,
anu the Board OF Public Works met with oppos1-
lloh IRON the start. Its first official act was TO
cnJoll the corporation OF Washington, which con-
tlnued IN force by law until June /, 1871, from
awarding contracts Ior street improvements. The
/
made by The corporation abrogated On the 20th
OF June, 1871, the Board OF Public Works submit
leu 10 the legislature general statement showing
tie relations OF the Federal TO the District govern
ment, and what was due TO the District by the
Public Works made the following showing: That
tne General Government had received from tine
propretorS OF the soil every alternate lot in the
GU! oi washington, which had been sold by the
General government and applied TO its own use,
aggregat1ng about 81 100000; also, that the
seventeen reservations and public building sites,
containing about Oh acres. had been sold
10 the General Government by said propri-
etorS at the nominal price OF s6667 per acre, ag
gregatlng S36,099. The area OF the reservations,
strStts anu avenues alone comprised 54E per cent
OF The Whoe area OF the city, exclusive of the lots,
which were gven-probanly 20 per cent more. All
OF theSe streets, avenue, &C., had been given all
S0lutely 10 the General Government, said Govern
ment having the ownership in fee, and having
power TO close up, sell. build upon, dispose OF
absolutely, as they might elect. The total amount
expended by the General Government the
streets and avenues donated them from 1902 to
1871 was 81, 321 ,2SS..l. During this period the
amount eX pended by the city OF Washington was
Sl3,S2l, To condenSe: The citizens Of Wash
lngton had paid so per cent and the General Gov
eminent 10 per cent OF the street Improvements
during these seventy years. II the improvements
s al ina ana county streets and loads be
pendture 100000 more The total value OF pub
he ana private property was $50 900 OO0 ofwhich
the Government owned 40 per cent. The Congress
OF the United STATES had perslStently refused to
do Its duty toward the District during this
period the little II mad done being done grudgngly.
fnr IN Gpv fnr
this state or things, and Mr.. Shepherd and his
soctates SET about the great task before them with
made by the Board or Public Works to the legisla.
tive assembly June 20, 1871, estimates were SUBJ
United FOR certain improvements amounting in the
aggregate 10 s6,o7S.591, and at the same time TO
meet this estimated outlay II was recommended
that loan OF $4,000 be made, which, with an
assessment OF one-thlrd of the cost or improve
ments 10 be levied on the abutting property would
make 81, 600 900 available al once for improvement
oil streets and avenues The legislative assembly
on July 10 approved this recommendation by
twotnlrdo VOTE and authorized the Issue OIL 70 year
per cent bonds. Here the government met
opposition from citizens who obtained from Judge
WyiIe an order enjoinng the District government
from Issuing bonds under this act: work on the
contemplated improvements Was, however, imme-
Glateiy commenced, the legislature having for the
purpose PASSED, on August II, supplement
t ;aEyo, APPROXIMATION Of 500 900 by
raised . by the Injunction We're o'i avoId ias'
Subsequently the injunction granted by Judge
Nyhe was removed on appeal TO the Court in
referred TO the voters OF the District the question
OF the 81 0OO 900 lOan IL Endorsed by an almost
unanimous vote On the 2lst OF November follow
Ing
| he work before the Board of Public Works was
iul % EMBELLISHMENTS The difficulties could not
have been increased il it had undertaken to build
a new city. In Tact In such many or the en-
barrasSmentS met would nOL have appeared In
der the old municipal government no system OF
grades had been estabilShe1 maint aimed but the
grade OF each street and locality was accOmmo-
GATED TO the ideas or property owners The records
were confusing and misleading. The establish
ment OF i system or sewerage and the planning
OF comprehensive Improvements necessitated a
great many changes in grades some or which were
RADICAL in their nature. When IL Is considered that
the wide streets and avenues OF the city and the
alleys comprise nearly half OF the whole area
OF the city, the problem OF their general improve
ment without bankrupting the city il can be seen
was one not easily solved.
THE PARKING SYSTEM
The board hit upon pl N which, While greatly
reducing the cost OF improvements has added to
the city one OF Its chief charms This was to mar
row the carria gewayS so as to render the use of
improved pavelnents practicable, and to have the
surplus width parked inside the fOotwalks The
capacity OF the streets q means OF intercourse
greatly beautlfied
ABATISG NrIsAScEs.
One Of the first achievements OF Shepherd as the
executive officer OF the Board OF Public Works was
TO abate foul nuisance that had continued TO ex-
ist in the heart OF the city for years despte gen.
eral clauior against IL. This was the old canal
that ran through the city Tor a distance of miles
dividing the central part OF the city from what In
those days was known as the island This ca
nal, abandoned long before, had become cesspool
and Il breeding place FOR disease The board
promptly nlled UP the canal, constructing sewers
along one slle 70 intercept the sewerage OF the
northern section OF the city.
COMPREHENSIVE IMPROVEMENTS
During the three Years and invent y-four days
that the Board OF Public Works was In active ey.
lstence-from June l. ISL, 10 June "a. lS14-it
made improvements gyregatlng as follows: Grad.
ing, 33iO.0O cubic yards; sidewalks 2ty7 miles.
streets paved In citlc~. lis miles; roads made in
COUNTIES ~ ri"S: DrlCk sewers, from 10 TO 80 feet
drain, 2l.U1J !lnUal Ieet brick sewers 3 TO feet
drain. 81 h51 nedl feet: pipe street sewers II 10
ers. house connection, 300 900 Ilneai fett. iron
water mains 30 miles, 10000 ltneal feet: iron gas
mains and street Lamps, $4,000 linpaI Ieet. iron
water main mouse connections ~ 900 miles
equivalent 10 3l3,G00 nneal feet: Uiantfng and
setting out shade trees, 10000.
In addition TO these improvements MANY new
AMI comnOtious market-hOuses and school hntd
ings We're erected. The board acted prOmptIy and
quickly, and hence encountered In some instances
opposition, and 1t was charged that Mr.. Shepherd
acted arbitrarily.
Two notable cases can be cited that illustrate tho
spirit OF the board and the energy with which IL
acted when It's plans mad been decided uDon one
or these was the removal OF the unsichtly orOun
or sheds known as the "NOrthern Liberty Marker +
which covered the ground at the Intersection If
nye streets and avenues, now known as Nir Vernon
square, and constituting one OF The most beautiful
PARKS In the city. The removal or this wrstcbed
group OF ShantieS had been ordered nv an
act OF Congress years before, but on the renon
STRANGE or the huckSterS and market men n nod